I have been playing piano for more than 20 years. A few months ago I realized I started to play octaves with my 1st and 4th finger. I do not do it on purpose. i do it without even noticing it! I have very big hands as well. I can reach from a C to an F sharp ( 18 half steps!) Will this affect my hands/ playing in any way? Is this a bad habit? Am I most likely to make mistakes while playing octaves? if this is a bad habit, how can i change it? I dont know how long I have been playing like this, but I noticed this a few months ago.

As a matter of technique, most pianists with sufficient hand span routinely play chromatic legato octave passages with 5 on the natural keys and 4 on the black keys. It should not cause you any injury or bad habits. In fact, in chromatic octave passages it's a huge benefit in ensuring a legato touch and sound.

David

_________________"Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities." David April

If your working on a piece that' s meant to be played at a fast tempo, you can eventually use 1-4 and 1-3 as a habit, meanwhile I recommend it only for exercicing octaves passages, this practice may help for other octaves passages, not specially chromatics ones.

Thanks, I know what you mean. But for instance when I play Rachmaninoff prelude op 23 no 5 in G minor, i use 1-4 for the octaves in the left hand. Or when playing Chopins nocturne op 48 no 1 in the middle section I use 1-4 for the octaves, even after the chromatic buildup to the FF.

I looked on my National Urtext Chopin edition, in the middle section it's mostly 1-4 on the black keys, sometimes 1-3; or 1-4 for withe keys chromatics. If you're following the composers fingering it may differ. Liszt, per exemple is totally a different way on approaching the octaves, just look at his Rhapsody in F#, the 4th I think. But as I said already it depends on the composer, and even on the editor.

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